Garment bag



' March 27,1945.

G. E. LOFGREN GARMENT BAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Filed Oct. 6, 1942 ,0 0 04 2 3 w M D March 27, 1945. LOFGREN 2372,4139

GARMENT BAG Filed Oct. 6, 1942 ZSheetS-Sheet 2 5 INVENTOR ORNEY Patented Mar. 27, 1945 I GARMENT BAG Gustaf Einar Lof gren, Riverside, Conn., assignor to Electrolux Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 6, 1942, Serial No. 460,963

11 Claims.

This invention relates to garment bags and demothing bags. Such bags are used to protect clothing and other fabric articles from moths and other pests. These bags also serve to protect the fabrics from dirt and mildew and other ravages of weather and time.

Among other things, it is an object of this invention to provide an airtight bag that can be charged with 'a demothing ingredient and. will retain same for a considerable period of time. Other objects ofthe invention are to eliminate expensive zipper openings which catch clothing, to reduce the overall length of the bag so that it can fit in low closets, to eliminate the necessity for a clothes rod as an integral part of the bag, to permit the bag to be placed over clothes already hanging in a closet, thereby utilizing the closet pole for supporting both bag and clothing and. eliminating the necessity for lifting heavy garments'from the clothes pole in order to place shape.

firmly in position over the top of the lip 6 formed on the under side of the top portion 2a. The bottom edge of the top portion 2a is in the shape of an ellipse or oval or other continuously convex Because of this, the elastic 5 creates a component of force directed inwardly between the mouth of the bag portion 3a and the bottom edge of the top portion 2a, thus creating a tight seal.

The top portion 2a is provided with apertures l to admit a closet rod 8. As shown in Fig. 1, there is a channel l0 leading from the aperture 1 to the bottom edge of the top member, thereby providing means for slipping the topportion 2a over the rod 8 so'that the rod 8 passes through the apertures l and through the interior of the bag. After the top portion 2a has been placed over the closet rod 8, a slide II is'pushed into them inside of the bag, and to make the clothes visible through the bag so that it is unnecessary to open the bag in order to ascertain its contents.

The manner of achieving these and other-objects will appear as the description of one form of the invention proceeds hereinafter, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a garment bag made according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the bag shown in Fig. l and illustrating one slight modification thereof; Fig. 3 is a'verticalsection similar to that of Fig. 2, showing a modified form of construction for the upper part of the bag and Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the bag shown in Fig. 3, taken on a plane at right angles to the section Plane of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation partly broken away of a garment bag made according to the invention showing another modified construction for the upper part thereof. Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the bag shown in Fig. 5, illustrating the bag when it is open to provide access to the interior thereof and Fig. '7 is a section taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1' there is shown a garment bag designated generally by the reference character I. The bag comprises a top portion 2a formed of a metal stampingor similar light rigid material. A flexible bag portion 3a is supportedfrom the top portion 2a and is attached thereto by means of rivets do around half of the periphery of the mouth of the bag. The upper edge of the bag is provided with a hem 22a through which runs an elastic band 5. The elastic serves to main tain the non-riveted portion of the bag mouth place to close the channel Ill. The slide ll may be a rubber block so that it tightly engages the oppositesides of the channel. A piece, 9a., of sponge rubber or other suitable material is disposed within the aperture I. In its normal position the piece 9a nearly fills the aperture 1 but when the garment bag is in place over the rod 8, -the latter compresses the sponge rubber against the sides of the aperture 1 thereby form- 1 ing a tight seal between the top portion 2a and the rod 8. After the top 2a has been thus secured over the closet pole, the unriveted mouth portion of the flexible bag 3a is slipped over the edge of the bead 6. This forms a substantially fluid tight enclosure through the interior of which passes the rod 8. In Fig. 2 there is shown a modified form of seal between the closet pole and the top of the bag. A piece of sponge rubber l2 fills both the aperture and the channel to. After the top has been'slipped over the pole 8, the sponge rubber in the channel returns to its original position in which it completely closes the channel. That portion of the sponge rubber lying within the aperture 1 remains compressed between the pole 8 and the top portion 2a.

To provide access to the interior of the gar ment bag after it has been assembled in place, as

described above, there is an opening l3 in' the side of the bag. Around the mouth of the opening I3 there is a framework I4 having an out- The cover 16 may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, the cover may be made of transparent oiled silk, thereby providing a view of the interior of the bag, and there may be a hem around the edge of the cover containing an elastic member similar to the elastic band previously described for connecting the bag portion 3a to the top portion 2a. Alternatively the cover l6 may be made ofisomez-resilient transparent plastic having an inwardly turned flange which could ,be snapped over the flange l of the frame [4.

The structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be" modified by eliminating the opening l3 and: the rivets 4a. Then, when it is desired to remove garments from the bag, the" whole. bottom portion 3a may he slipped on" over the lip 6 and brought down far enough to expose the garments. Also, if desired, the extent of the. riveted portion.- 4a could be merely reduced instead of completely eliminated so that although the bag could be dropped: enough. to: expose thegarments, it; would not fall: completely off. Another change which.wouldsbmparticularlyuseful inithe-lastdescribed. modifications W'tOllld-ZtQ- form the top,

' memben 2a: on a; transparent plasticv instead of metal;. in". order to: provide a: view of: the interior of the: bag;

In; Figures 3; and 4 there: isv shown: a modified form of top construction particularly adapted for. use intv thosemasesin; whichthercloset. polev already installed on; the. premises is too/near. the; root of thescloset to' permit awcoverfmember being passed betiweemtheeloset pole=andithe.-roof-.. Inthisco-nst-rnction; arod= passing through rubb er gaskets.- i2h-in: the:topportion' 2b." of. the bag. is.- furnished as ans integral part: of. the bag. Hangers 2| attachedxatieither. end ofthe rod 20 arev provided forsupportingi thebagzon the closetpole. or other suitable: supports; In this construction. the: flexs iblei bag. portion. 311 is permanently attached to.- the top portionrl'b as-by: means: of. rivets. 4b. The.-

top-portion; 2-b has: am open. toparound. the. per" ripheryr ofi which there isqani outwardly turned. flange 1. 8;. A". cover member- 19b:- similar. to; the; cover. I18- engages. theaflange: I8- to form; a, tight, closure: The; top portion-.212 isiconvexly CllI'VEdf around its: entire-1. periphery. just as. are the. top. punt-ion. 2m and: the. frame; [41 shown. in. Figures 1; and. 2;. This: is to." provide: the:- necessary inward. component: of? fierce. desirable.- for making a. tight seal: Theecover member l9b may betransparentin". order. to. provide a. view'of the interior of the. bag. 'Iihlsr cover member provides: a mode: of withdrawing clothing from: the interior of the bag. but it is. preferable.- in. most. cases to provide. anothermeans, ofaccess to.- the. interior ofthe such as. a side': opening: as. is shownat IS in Figures: 1 and 2;. If aside opening is; used; the: entire; top: portion: could. be made in one piece as: in Eig; L.

In: Figures: 5'- through: 7; there. is: illustrated another modified; top: construction for the garment bag-1, As inzthe precedingi'figures', thabagqi'ssdesig nated generally by the reference character i... There is. a: flexible: bottom portion 3 c which. is snpnuntedii'om a rigid tonportion 2c; The flex.- ible. port-ionzisrfastened to the: rigid. portion: at. 40

; and theiievisiamelastic; to running through a. hem 22c: forholdingi the rest; of the flexible: bagg'portion in place',,. just as in, the: previous embodiments. The top portion: 2a, instead. of being made in onerpiece, is made-.ofi two-portions hing-ed together. at. 24".. This enables: the top. portion- 20- to be; placed around. the closet pole; 8 without. the necessityof-. there.- being: a channel between.

the apertures 1c and bottom edge of the portion 20. After the top portion has been placed over the top of the rod 8, the hinged sections are latched together by any suitable means such as the hook 25. There is a rubber gasket 90 which is split so as to permit it to be slipped over the clothes pole. As shown best in Fig. 7, there is an annular groove around theouter periphery of the gasket; 90 into which; fit: the two: sections of the top portion 20 when the latter is in place. This gasket 90 may be made of sponge rubber to adapt it to fit different sizes of clothes poles.

' The hinged top portion 20 has an annular bead and between the top 20 and the cover He.

at the. upper side over which is snapped a cover IBc-in;v a similar manner to that in which covers t8 and. I'Bbare'heId'in place. The cover (90 may be transparent. At one end. of the top 2c there arezbearings. 21k in: which there are pivoted the ends. 29. of a swing 26. The swing 26 carries a number of rings 21 which are sewed to the interior; of the adjacent.- portion; of. the flexible part;3c.-- oftherga-rment. bag. The purposeofi thisv swing; is to keep? the. garment. bag from falling:

down too. far where; itmight become. entangled. with. the clothesrwhenit is;separated;from its top portion 20. It also keeps the-flexible sides. prop.- erly' lined up thereby. facilitating; withdrawal. and entrance o-fgarmentsa. In. order: to: place thetop portion 2c over-a. clothes pole-g. itiis necessary that one: side orv the other of the: flexible portion 30 becompletely separable from the top:portion.. To. this. endi the swing: 26 may bemad'e of a resilient material so that the. pivotsrn' can be spread apart and; withdrawn from. the. bearings 28. Alternatively,.thezswing12J6 may be made of a relatively stiff material: and? the fastenings- 40: may be of the. snap button type? instead of rivets. as in. the previousfi'gures;

In the form ofthe invention shown in Figures 5: through 7, the garment bag is of rectangular cross: section rather than oval; as is the form shownin Fig: 1'. Sucha shapeis in some instances moredesirable. than the rounded form.

However, if nearly perfect airtightness is considered tobean important factor; the bag shown in Figures 5 through 7 may also be made with a rounded. cross'section in orderto provide a tighter seal between the flexible bagand therigid top. 20, In such case, it would also be desirable to provide a gasket or other' sealing meansalong the junction 01" the two sections of. the hinged top portionv 2c.

Throughout the. description of the. invention it has been assumed that. the flexible. portion 3. of

' many modifications. therein.- might: be; made without departing from. the scope of the invention. For example, the top; rigid portions 2.- could be made. of a framework off wires 01 channel-v mem. bers and coveredoven with a transparent: flexible material, other. materials. than: sponge; rubber coulclvbe-used: for the gaskets 9,.and asimple tie rope might. be, substituted for th'e' elastics 5; It isintended to' protect by: these LettersPatent all forms; 011. the. invention falling within: the". scope of the appendedtclaims.

What I claim is: 1. A bag having side and bottom walls, a cover having side and top walls, means through which the cover can be slipped over the top of a horizontal rod to be supported thereon comprising separable joints in the side walls of the cover and apertures in the side walls, said joints extending from the bottom edge of the cover side walls to said apertures, and means for joining the top of the side Walls of the bag to the bottom of the side walls of the cover.

2. A bag comprising a top member and a bottom portion, means to support said portion from said member, and means to support said member on a horizontal rod passing through and inside of and spaced from the top of said bag, said member being suificiently rigid to maintain its shape when carrying the weight of said portion, said member and said portion being readily and manually separable at least part way across their juncture, said member having means through which said rod can be passed between said member and said portion via saidseparable juncture and into apertures in said member to support said memher.

3. A bag having a top and a bottom that are at least in part readily and manually separable, said top having rigid side walls through which there are openings, and resilient means in said openings for making a, tight seal with a rod passing therethrough, said resilient means having the characteristic of sponge rubber that causes it to make a tight seal regardless of the size of the rod passed through the openings.

4. A bag comprising a body portion having an opening at its upper end and a cover member having top and side walls, means for supporting said portion from said member, and means for placing said member over a rod in such a manner that the rod passes through the interior of the bag and supports it from the rod comprising a hinge in said top wall and separable joints in said side walls.

5. A bag comprising a rigid top portion and a flexible body, means to support the body from the top, said top and body being at least in part readily manually separable, openings in the sides of said top, and means providing entrance to said openings from the underside of said top portion between said top and body where they are separable for enabling said top to be positioned over a rod with the rod passing from the outside of the bag through one of the openings and for enabling said top to be thus positioned even though prior to such positioning the ends of the rod be connected to members too large to allow the rod to be passed through said openings.

6. A bag comprising a rigid top and a body portion, openings in the side walls of said top, channels in the side walls of said top leading from said openings to the bottom edges of said side walls, sliding panels that lit in said channels, and means for supporting said body portion from said top, said means being readily manually separable from one side of the bag to at least as far as said channels.

7. A bag having a top portion and a body, said top portion com'prising rigid side walls hinged in the middle at their upper edge and a flexible elastic cover therefor, said side walls having apertures therein which are located on the dividing line where said walls are hinged, and means for supporting said body from said top portion.

8. A bag having a rigid top portion and a flexible bottom portion, means to support the top portion on a rod, means to support said bottom portion from said top portion comprising separable fastening means around a part of the periphery of the opening in the bottom portion and cooperating fastening means around a part of the periphery of the opening in the top portion, said fastening means being operative even though only a part of the bottom portion is in engagement with the top portion, and elastic means around the remaining part of the opening in the top portion; and means to support said remaining part spaced away from said top portion when said elastic means is in inoperative position.

9. A bag comprising a rigid top portion and a body, means to support the top portion over a rod with the rod passing therethrough, said body having a' flexible mouth which is in part permanently attached to the sides of said top portion and in part separably secured thereto, an opening in said body on the side beneath that part of said mouth which is permanently attached to the top portion, and a cover for said opening.

10. A bag comprising a rigid top portion and a body having a flexible mouth, apertures in the sides of said top portion, means providing entrance to said apertures from the bottom edges of said side walls, and means for attaching said mouth to said bottom edges of said side walls, said ltop portion and said body being readily manually separableat all points.

11. A bag comprising a flexible body portion, a top rigid frame portion, a rod passing through said frame portion, said frame portion engaging the rod to be supported thereby, a cover for said frame portion, said cover being made of flexible transparent material having sufiicient elasticity to tightly engage said frame when placed thereover, means to support said body portion on said frame portion, and means providing access to the interior of said bag without the removal of said cover.

GUSTAF EINAR LOFGREN. 

